Planetary scientists believe that small impacts regularly bombard the Moon, but until recently, they’ve had no way to distinguish new craters from the already pockmarked lunar surface. In 2009, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) arrived at the Moon and began taking high-resolution photographs. By comparing pictures taken early in the mission with more recent images, the LRO camera team has discovered more than two-dozen new impact craters – including an 18-meter-wide crater caused by a bright flash on March 17, 2013.
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NASA ID
GSFC_20150317_LRO_m11806_NewCrater
Date Created
March 17, 2015
Center
GSFC
Media Type
video
Photographer
Robert Andreoli
Location
Goddard Space Flight Center
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